Step 1: Choose your leather conditioners and polishes Leather is animal skin. Translation: It’s susceptible to drying out, which causes cracks in the material. When choosing a leather conditioner or polish, Daniel Porcelli, co-founder and CEO of Cobbler Union in Atlanta suggests, “Always look for natural products like beeswax, shea butter, mink oil, carnauba wax, and montan wax that are free from silicones and chemicals.” His yikes-worthy list of bad ingredients includes C13-14 Alkane Carrier (what you find in floor paint), benzenes (chemicals that can be found in paint and ink), and acids. “Treat it as if you were looking at organic vs. non-organic foods,” he says. “Any of those words you can t pronounce aren t good for your body, and they aren t good for your shoes either.”